Once, I saw 
every death in a novel
marked with post-its for future reference
and a human tear
under a microscope
I watched a young deer
hop over a tall barbed wire fence
whithout a scratch
I saw the seige of Baghdad
on a T.V. the size of a microwave
the older folks thought nothing of that
I’ve seen politicians and actors come and go
but those cartoon characters have it too easy 

An article in Rolling Stone
once asked me 
“What does Beatle-mania look like?”
well I don’t know from experience
however a cigarette butt just fell out of the tray
and landed right out of McCartney’s reach
on the opposite page

once, I remember,I was listening 
to Johnny Cash singing  his cover of “Redemption Song” 
while I mopped the floor of that little shop
after closing time
with all the lights off 
except for a faint glimmer 
coming from the humming drink coolers
it was the best time to be alone
but never lonely
to remember i’d been saved ,once long ago
but everyone knew that was a lie
to be singing along with Johnny Cash 
songs of redemption
like we both really meant it